Car-fender



(No Model.)

v H. BRANDT.

GAR FENDER.

No. 548,906. Patented Oct. 29, 1895.

AN DREW EGIMMM. PIIOTO'LITHQWASHINGTDK 0.6

Unrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY BRANDT, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

CAR-FENDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 548,906, dated October29, 1895. Application filed April 25, 1895- fierlal No. 547,087. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, HENRY BRANDT, a citizen of the United States,residing in Brooklyn, Kings county, State of New York, have invented anew and useful Improvement in Car Fenders, of which the following is aspecification. 4

My invention relates especially to devices employed upon street-cars,particularly such as are driven by electricity and cable, for thepurpose of preventing injury to persons who may be struck by the movingcar, and has for its object the provision of a fender arranged to catch,elevate, and hold a body out of harms way if struck by an advancing carwherewith my fender is employed.

To attain the desired end my invention consists, essentially, in afenderproper hinged to a horizontal support at the front of a car, said hingedportion being provided with means for automatically raising it to thelevel of the horizontal portion, and in the combination, with the fenderproper, of a frame provided with a net, or the equivalent, adapted to bethrown beyond the body of the person struck and then automatically drawsuch body onto the fender proper; and my invention also involves certainother novel and useful combinations or arrangements of parts andpeculiarities of construction and operation, all of which will behereinafter first fully described, and then pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, Figure 1 is a sideelevation of my car-fender. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same.Fig. 3 is a side elevation illustrating the operation of the device.

Like numerals of reference, wherever they occur, indicate correspondingparts in all the figures.

1 is the top of a car and 2 the platform thereof, constructed in theusual manner, as

my invention is designed for application to any existing form of car.

3 are the upright rods leading from the dash-board 4 to the top of thecar at each side. Fixed to the rods 3 are collars 5, to which aresecured powerful springs 6, which encircle the rods 3. The lower endsofthe springsti engage with vertically-movable collars 7, also mountedupon the rods 3. Each collar 7 is provided with an eye 8, to which ispivoted a rod 9. These rods 9 pass upward and engage with a frame 10,bearing rubberwheels 11 at each side, and also carrying a net 12, madeof any suitable material.

In practice it would be well to cover the front rod 13 of the frame 10with rubber, as well as the front rod of the fender proper, so as toprevent injury to the person by being struck by the metal. The rods 9bear against springs'l l, fixed at the top of the car, when the partsare in the position indicated in Fig. 1.

Secured to the rod 13 of the frame 10 is a rope 15, which passes throughthe roof of the car and is normally locked against movement byanysuitable catch, such as 16, within reach of the motorman.

Connected to the collars 7 are cords or chains 17 passing down at thefront of the dashboard around pulleys 18 to a drum 19. The shaft of thisdrum is provided with a gear-wheel 20, the teeth whereof mesh with agear-wheel 21, mounted upon a shaft 22 projecting through the dashboard,and arranged to receive a crank for operating the drum.

23 is a stop which holds the gear 21 locked in place, and which projectsin such a manner as to be readily operated by the foot of the motorman.

24 is the horizontal portion of the fender proper fixed to the front ofthe car. Hinged thereto is a right-angular portion 25, forming astep-like projection when the parts are in the position shown in Figs. 1and 2. At the rear of the part 25 are pivoted bars 26, connected by arod 27. Extending from this rod 27 to the front bar of the fixed portion24: of the fender are powerful springs 28. The parts 24. and 25 may bemade of any approved material and covered with a net, if desired.

Passing from the hinged portion 25 of the fender is achain or cord 29,secured to a drum 30, mounted upon a vertical shaft 31, hearing anoperating hand-wheel 32,.and a ratchetwheel 33, controlled by a pawl 34,pivoted upon the platform. 2. I have illustrated a chain passing arounda drum in the drawings, but, if desired, a rack-bar and pinions may besubstituted therefor without departing from the spirit of my invention.

When constructed and arranged in accordance with the foregoingdescription, the operation of my device is as follows: The parts are allin the position illustrated in Fig. 1. Now, if the motorman sees that heis about to strike a person, the moment the part 25 of the fenderreaches such person he touches the stop 16, releasing the cord 15, andthrough the medium of the springs 14 the net-frame is thrown forward anddownward, passing beyond the person in front of the fender, occupyingthe position indicated in Fig. 3 by the dotted lines, the wheels 11resting upon the rails. through the medium of the stop 23 the springs 6draw the rods 9 upward, as shown in the full lines in Fig. 3, pullingthe person onto the part 25 of the fender. By now releasing the drumheld by the ratchet 34 the springs 28 force the part 25 of the fenderupward, as shown in Fig. 3, and the person is held upon the raisedfender in a secure and safe position until the-car stops.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new therein,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with a car fender, of a frame bearing a net, pivotedat the side of the car, and arranged to pass over beyond the fender, andbe supported upon the trackor ground, substantially as shown anddescribed.

2. The combination with a car fender, of a frame arranged to pass overand beyond the fender, and means for drawing the said frame inwardly,substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination with a car fender, of a Then by releasing the drum19- frame pivoted upon movable collars mounted 7 ..tal portion and tothe step-shaped portion,

and means for automatically raising the stepshaped portion, the wholecombined, substantially as shown and described.

5. Acnr fender in which iscomprised a horizontal, fixed portionprojecting from the front of the car; a step-shaped portion pivotedthereto; springs arranged to automatically elevate the step-shapedportion, and means for retracting and holding said springs fromoperating, in combination with a frame arranged to pass over and beyondthe fender, and means for drawing the said frame inwardly, substantiallyas shown and described.

6. In a device of the character herein specified, the combination withthe frame having arms pivoted to movable collars engaging with springs,as set forth, of connections between said collars and a drum whereby thesprings may be held extended, or released, substantially as shown anddescribed.

HENRY BRANDT;

Witnesses:

A. M. PIERCE, E. D. WRIGHT.

